mcdonald



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

` F. C. MODONALD. STARTING AND DRAFT MEGHANISM FOR STREET CARS. No. 397,740. Patented Feb. 12, 1889.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.,

1?'. C. MGDONALD. STARTING AND DRAFT MECHANISM POR STREET GARS.

No. 397,740. Patented Feb. 12, 1889.

FIG/.5.

FIG. 4.

M PETERS. Photouthognphsnwuhingim l!A C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRED C. MCDONALD, OF NEWv YORK, N; Y.

STARTING AND DRAFT IVCHANISIVI FOR- STREET-CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 397,740, dated February 12, 1889.

Application led December 22, 1887. Serial No. 258,676. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRED C. McDoNALD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York city, NewYork, have invent-ed certain Improvements in Starting and Draft Mechanism for Street-Cars, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to construct starting and draft mechanism for street-cars, whereby the starting of the car is accomplished easily and without jerk or jar, and whereby also the power of the draft animal or team is exerted more effectively and with less strain than usual, not only in starting the car, but also in the subsequent pulling of the same. This object l attain in the manner which I will now proceed to describe, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a plan view showing the two axles f a car with starting and draft mechanism constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of part'of a car, showing the improved starting and draft mechanism in elevation. Fig. 3 is a transverse section, partly in elevation, of part of one of the axles and the draft-box thereon. Fig. 4: is a section on the line o; ai, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a section on the line y y, Fig. Fig. 6 is a side view of the guide-box for the draftbar, and Fig. 7 is a plan view of said guidebox with the cover-plate removed.

I will first describe, with reference to Figs. 3, 4f, and 5, the construction of my improved draft-box and starter, leaving to a later portion of the specification the description of the draft mechanism connected thereto.

To each of the axles l of the car is connected a ratchet-wheel, 2, preferably made in sections bolted together, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, f or convenience of application to the axle, the ratchet-wheel being also, by preference, secured against circumferential movement on the axle by means of one or more keys or feathers, 3, as shown in Fig. 5. Mounted upon the axle, on each side of the hub of the ratchetwheel, are a series of anti-friction rollers, 4, these rollers being carried by frames 5, which are preferably made in two parts hinged together, as at 6, Fig. 4, so that the framescan be separated for application to the axle. Mounted upon the rollers t is a draftfbox, 7, which completely incloses and protects the ratchet-wheel, the rollers, and their carryingframes, the opposite ends of the box fitting loosely to the axle, so as to preventthe access of dust, dirt, or other foreign matter to the interior of the box. The draft-box is likewise made in two parts for convenience of application, and on the upper part of the box is a projection, 8, in which is hung a pawl, 9, adapted to engage with the ratchet-wheel 2, said pawl having a linger, l0, under control of a toe, il on a rock-shaft, l2,which is adapted to bearings in the projection 8, and has at one end an arm, 13. v

Referring now to Figs. l and 2, it will be observed that to lugs 14 on the top of each draft-box is connected the rear end of a rod, l5, the front ends of which are connected to an evener, 16, hung to the inner end of the draft-bar 17, which is guided in a box, 18,secured to the under side of the front platform of the car, the front end of the draft-bar being provided with ahook or equivalent means for. attaching the draft animal or team to the bar. To a lug, 19, on the draft-box is connected a spring, 20, the rear end of which is connected to a stud, 2l, on the frame of the car, the tendency of this spring being to pull the draft-box rearward to the position shown in Fig. 2. Then draft is applied to the boX, however, it is drawn forward until its center line assumes about the position indicated by the dotted line in Fig. 2, the movement being equivalent to about one-third of a turn of the box. This 1novement,owing to the engagement of the pawl 9 and ratchet-wheel 2, is imparted to the axle and to the wheels thereon, and thus effects the starting of the car, the movement of the car being easy, owing to the fact that it is effected by turning the wheels, and not by a direct jerk upon the frame-work of the car, while the strain Aupon the draft animal or team is less than would be caused by a direct pull upon the frame of the car, owing to the leverage gained by the use of the draft-box, the point of connection of the rod l5 to said box being somewhat more than twice as far from the eenterof the axle as is the periphery of the ratchet-wheel upon which the power is exerted.

Not only do the drat't-l'ioxes serve as the means of starting the ear, but they also constitute the means whereby the pull ot` the dra'lt-bar is exerted upon the car at'ler the starting ol.' the same, this pull heilig exerted upon the axles, which are the most eltective points tor thc application ot' power, and any loss duc to friction being practically eliminated by the enujloyment oit' the anti-frictionroller bearings ior the draft-box.

When the boxes are subjected to dra t't and occupy the forward position, (indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2,) the pawl t) talls clear ot' the ratchet-wheel; hence there will be no clicking noise, such as would be caused if the pawl were continuously in engagement with the said wheel.

\Vhen it is desired to move the car backward, the pawl must be retracted, so as to be clear ol' the teet-h oit' the ratchetavheel, and this is effected by the action ot' the toc l] upon the finger lO of the pawl.

In order to provide for the convenient and simultzitncous release ot' both pawls, the arms 13 of the rock-shafts l2,ca1.'rying the toes Il., are connected to arms 22 on a rock-shaft, adapted to bearings on the under side of the l'ront platform ol the car, and having another arm, 24, which is connected to a slide, 25, suitably guided on the inner side of the front dasher o l1` the car in such position that its upper end is within easy reach of the driver.

The connections between the arms 13 and the arms 22 comprise rods 26, chains 27, supporting-rollers 2S, and springs Q9, whereby each connection is always kept under tension, but is free to yield so as to insure the proper operation ot' the 1oek-sl1atts of both boxes.

It will be evident that when the pawls 9 are in engagement with the ratchet-wheels 2 the wheels are locked against back movement, so that when the car stopped on an upgrade there no necessity t'or keeping the brakes on the wheels during the whole time, the brake being removed as soon as the car comes to a standstill, and the car is started from this stamling position with the brakes oft', instead ol', as usual, having to be started with the brakes still on the wheels, or after the ear has commenctal to run backward down the grade.

In the practical use ot' my improved starting and draft mechanism I have found that the wear and tear ol' rolling-stock and the strain upon the shoulders of draft't-anilnals are much reduced, the comt'ort ol the passengers being enhanced by the easy starting of the car, and the neces ty ot retiring the draft-animals from actu e servicel at intervals by reason oli' sore shoulders beingi completely overcome. Moreover, I iind that the draft animal or team can be put into a trot in about onehalt` the time after the starting of the car eo1npared with the time required after starting a car having the ordinary d raw-head, thus el'- i'ecting a very considerable saving .in time, especially on lines where the stoplgmges are frequent. '.lo these advantages ot' operation possessed 'by my invention may be added the advantages ot' emistruction due to the l'ewness, simplicity, light \\'eight, and low cost ol' the parts comprising the :'tpparatus, and to the tact that there is very little likelihood ot' any ot' these parts getting' out olf order, so as to become inoperative and require attention.

i=\lthough I prefer, in carrying' out my invention, to apply a draft-box to both oit the axles o'l the car, it will be evident that the main tez'ttures oi' my invention would be cmbodied in a drat't apparatus using the box upon but one axle, and although it is also preferable to secure the ratchet-wheel to the axle and to hang the pawl to the draft-box. the reverse construction maybe adopted, it' desiredmthat is to say, the pawl may be hung to the axle and the drattdiox may be provided with an internal ratchet-wheel engaging said pawl,

The guide-box IS for the dra'l't-bar is provided with suitable frictioli-rollers, 30, which carry the weight oit' said rod and. ease the movement of the same.

I claim as my inventionl. The combination ot' the axle, pawlandratchet startin mechanism, a box hung to the axle and carrying one ol.' the elements of said. mechanism, a draft-bar con nected. to said box, and antti-triction-roller bearings :interposed between the box and the axle, all substantially as specified.

2. The combination otl the two axles ol' a car, a draft-box with paw1-and-ratchet starte ing` mechanism on each axle, and a drzfttt-bar connected to both of said boxes and having a whililetree-connection at the t'ront end, all substantially as specied.

3. The combination of the two axles of the car, each having a draft-box with pawl-andratchet mechanism, aI draftaod, an even er carried thereby, and rods extendii'ig from said evener to the draft-boxesot theaxles, all substantially as spccilied.

Lt. The combination of the axle, the ratchet wheel secured thereto, the draft-box hung to the axle and havin a pawl engaging' with said ratchetmvheel, and a rock-shaft carried bythe box and havin g a toe for acting upon the pawl to'thro'w it out ot gear, all substantially as specified..

5. The combination olf the axle, the ratchet wheel secu red thereto, the d raft-boxhaving a pawl engaging with. said axle, the draft-rod connected. to said box, a releasinmshaft carried by the box, an operating-slide on the plat- ;torm of the car independent oi' thc dratt-rod, and means for connecting said slide to the rcleasing-shatt ot' the d ratt-lnix, all substantially as specified. Y

(5. The combination oli the. two axles of a IOO ear, the draft-boxes, each having; pawl-andratchet mechanism, and a releasing-shaft 'for the pawi, an operating-slide 011 the platform of the ear, and connections between saidsiide and the releasing-shaft of eaeh d1aft-b0X,eaeh of said connections having an interposed sp1-ing, all Substantially as specied.

In testimony whereof I have Sign ed my name t0 this specification in the p resem ee of two suhseribiug witnesses.

FRED C.' MCDONALD.

Witnesses: A

CHARLES E. GREENMAN, THOMAS GrALvlv.l 

